As Motorsport.com Italia reports, the looming 2027 MotoGP regulations are already causing friction in the paddock, and Pol Espargaró is not holding back. With the championship trading its current prototypes for smaller 850cc machines, reduced aerodynamics, and the arrival of Pirelli as the sole tire supplier, development work is well underway. But one rider's heavy involvement in that testing program has sparked serious debate.
That rider is Nicolò Bulega, who is set to step up to the premier class in 2027 with VR46 alongside Fermin Aldeguer, presumably arriving as an undisputed Superbike champion. Ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, names like Marc Marquez and Pedro Acosta pointed to Bulega as the rider generating the most curiosity for the upcoming era. Beyond his raw pace, the Italian is leading the development of Ducati's new 850cc bike as its main test rider and sampling the Pirelli rubber early—tires he already knows well from the World Superbike paddock.
It's a madness, absolutely. And I would say it's also unfair, because he will be a full-time rider next year,
That massive accumulation of data has not gone unnoticed. Espargaró, who handles a similar test rider role for KTM and stepped in recently to replace Maverick Vinales, called the situation both "unfair" and "a madness." Bulega is slated to log two extra days of running during the Sepang Shakedown ahead of the official collective test, a privilege reserved exclusively for rookies and test riders.
Pressed by a British journalist on whether Bulega could dominate immediately in Thailand given his head start, Espargaró did not mince words. "It's a madness, absolutely. And I would say it's also unfair, because he will be a full-time rider next year," Espargaró said. He added that the sheer volume of mileage, combined with a Superbike machine that shares traits with the upcoming rules, means Bulega will arrive with unmatched speed and experience. "I feel like he's going to slaughter everyone," he stated.
Drawing from his own past wildcard appearances where testing granted him immediate front-running pace, Espargaró emphasized how critical track knowledge and machine familiarity are. He noted that Bulega is in his prime and will hit the ground running at venues like Mugello, Jerez, and Misano with an arsenal of data. At the same time, Luca Marini—who is moving from Honda HRC to KTM Tech3 alongside rookie Senna Agius—also weighed in, pointing out the unique advantages awaiting riders transitioning with prior Pirelli experience as the entire grid confronts a brand-new technical landscape.
